Local motorists see gradual unveiling of new motorway

Over the past week, motorists using the N3 and the roads that lead off it have been witnessing what could be described as an 'unveiling" of what the new M3 motorway route will look like when completed. At one of the most controversial sites on the route, at Blundelstown, close to Garlow Cross, the traffic was last week directed onto one of the new slip roads of the motorway, leaving the construction workers free to remove the old stretch of the N3 at Soldiers" Hill, which stands in the way of the route. As well as Soldiers" Hill, the new motorway will cross the site of where Dillonsbridge National School once stood, as well as a forge on the side of the N3 operated by Johnny Gartland. The river Gabhra, from which the valley takes its name, has been diverted at this location. Nobody is sure where the name Soldiers" Hill originated from, with some believing it was a resting place for soldiers marching to Dublin. It possibly dates back to 1798, when the Battle of Tara took place. Dillonsbridge School was the predecessor to Lismullin NS, and there are many past pupils still in the area, including Brendan Farrelly who was behind the erection of a commemorative sign there some years ago. The newly-opened stretch of motorway now allows motorists a clear view of the controversial route crossing the Tara-Skryne valley across the archaeologically excavated sites at Lismullin, declared a National Monument by former Environment Minister Dick Roche, before being excavated, and past Rath Lugh, where last year"s tense dig-in by protesters took place. The movement of the traffic onto the new stretch of roadway will allow the road-builders to take out the 'plug" blocking the route, and work on the rest of it. It is around this section that the Government has asked that special zoning be implemented to ban commercial and industrial building, while the current Environment Minister, John Gormley, has indicated that there will be other planning restrictions imposed on the area. At Dunshaughlin, traffic diversions have been in place for night-time work on lifting the beams onto the bridge at Roestown, which will continue over the next couple of weekends. According to Enda Tyrrell of the Eurolink M3 company building the motorway, this is a fairly unique element of the project as the motorway does not cross over the existing N3 in many places. Two weeks ago, the slip road onto the Trim road at the Black Bull (Fairyhouse Cross) was opened, and it is possible that the stretch at the Athboy Road, Navan, will be open before Christmas. All is going well and on schedule for the project"s planned opening in July 2010, Mr Tyrrell added.